Saturday, September 13, 2014

Our new puppy Max

If you don't want to scroll through a million pictures of the same dog 
then I advise you to turn back now.

 Sleeping puppies get me every time!

Mike and I have been planning on getting a dog for a while, but we have been patiently waiting to find the right one who would be a perfect fit for our active family. I had almost given up hope. Last week I was scrolling through the dogs at our local animal shelter when I came across Max. Everything about him seemed so perfect. I went to the shelter to play with him and instantly fell in love. But Mike's cousins had just gotten into town and we were leaving for Austin the next day so the timing was terrible. We decided if Max was still available when we got back from Austin then it was a sign. 
Sure enough come Tuesday he was still available for adoption so I swooped him up and brought him home.
 
Max is a lab mix who is 17 months old and weighs a whopping 27 pounds.
I wasn't sure how Max would react in the house so I covered the couch in blankets. Good thing I did because I decided to give Max a bath the second I brought him home so he would be clean. Apparently he hates getting a bath. I threw him in the bathtub and he somehow escaped the bathroom and was rolling around soaking wet on the furniture. The whole house was covered in water.

 Max and Mikey love to cuddle while watching football. Look at Max's smile in his sleep! So cute!
This morning we went on a 10 mile walk/hike around White Rock Lake in Dallas. Max was the only one who had any energy left over after the walk. (The weather was a beautiful 55 degrees when we got there! Such a nice cold front came through)


 We found out he LOVES to swim and play in the lake (just not bathtubs I guess). Once he discovered the lake we had trouble keeping him out of it.
 We really enjoyed walking around the beautiful lake in the cool crisp weather.

I only work about 3 days a week, but on Tuesday and Thursday I am gone for 11 hours. We decided that since he is such an active dog he would have more fun in doggie day care. SO Thursday he had his first day of doggie day care and he did great! He has open play time all day with the other dogs but takes a 1 hour nap break in the middle, and they feed him lunch during the break too. The staff loved him. They said Max ran around like a crazy man almost the whole day until about the last hour.
When I arrived to pick him up, he was dead asleep! For him to be dead asleep in a room filled with dogs I knew he was worn out. It was pretty awesome because he slept for the next 24 hours after day care. Definitely money well spent!
 I feel like such a mom already! I was worrying about him the entire day he was at day care, wondering if he was having fun and if everyone/dogs were being nice to him. I even miss him when I can't see him for longer than a few hours.
He fell asleep in my hand driving home from day care. He is already REALLY spoiled.
We love him so much and think he is one of the best decisions we ever made!
Welcome to the family Max!

Austin,TX & BYU Football


The first weekend of September Mike's cousins: Justine, Riley, Jake, and baby Bentley came to Texas and stayed with us on Friday night. Justine, Bentley and I met up on Friday and we went shopping and got frozen yogurt while the boys were at work/ med school interviews. Then Friday night we all met up and went to a Ranger game. Even though the Rangers are pretty terrible this year, we had fun and I introduced everyone to the delicious lemon and strawberry chills served at the games. Saturday morning we went running and swimming then headed down to Austin for the BYU/ UT game. It was Mike's first trip to Austin. We all had a blast down there- delicious food, family, good sights, and a BYU football victory! Great weekend!


 Victory!! It was a hot and humid night!



Wednesday, September 3, 2014

Quarter Century


 HAPPY BIRTHDAY MISTER MIKE!!
Party weekend:
 Cowboys vs. Broncos
gourmet cupcakes
monster cookie tower
BYU football
swimming & games
relaxing
labor day weekend
wing stop & newk's pizza







Cedar Weekend


 We had one of the best weekends in Cedar City visiting the family. Dan had just returned home from his 2 year LDS mission in Ecuador and Alyssa is just a couple weeks away from leaving for her 18 month LDS mission in Belgium so it was the last time the whole family would be together until Alyssa gets back. We celebrated Mikey's birthday, had a family temple session with family names, dinner, ping pong tournaments, Dan's homecoming talk, Alyssa's farewell talk, and rock band.
 6 am flight to Utah Friday morning

 
Saturday morning sweat sessions with the fam

We ate LaRae's homemade peaches all weekend. (The boys enjoyed playing baseball with the peaches against the fence too). LaRae made Mikey a huge peach pie for an early birthday celebration


 Happy birthday Mikey!




 All dressed up from Sunday's sacrament meeting. Both Alyssa and Dan gave amazing and very inspiring talks. Some of the siblings (including Mikey) and cousins powerfully sang "Abide with me" in between the talks.



We did our ice bucket challenge in Cedar too

 Saying goodbye to this little miss before she heads to Belgium 

Saying bye to the sibs as we drive away.

I say this at the end of every post, but it was a perfect weekend!